Matt Harrison aged 29 has been working for White Design in Bristol for a year as a project architect specialising in timber frame design.

“My job is quite varied. Some days will see me in the studio working on a design, or perhaps making a site visit. At other times I will be meeting clients as a representative of the practice to demonstrate the way in which we work, although most prospective clients approach us as they already have an understanding of the type of work we do.

“I graduated from the Bartlett School of Architecture in London in 1998 and my first job was with a large firm of architects in London. Subsequently I studied for an MA in Architectural Theory and, having had an abiding interest and desire to work with wood since my college years, I made a conscious decision to make that my direction. I saw the job with White Design advertised in the Architects’ Journal. They were using wood in an innovative way whilst still maintaining traditional elements and values and I decided this was something I wanted to be involved in.

“I’m really happy with the job that I do. I like the feeling that I’m in some way giving a benefit to society and I like working with a material that is environmentally friendly. As a material wood is easily accessible for anybody who chooses to work it and it has strong innovative possibilities. One of the real highlights of my job is working with some of the great innovators within the construction industry and government.

“The timber sector is doing well and I’d say the pay is comparable to other fields.

I think wood is the way that things are going and that I’ll be inundated with work as more people understand the benefits of wood. White Design has been going for seven years now and continues to grow.”